We’re back again, folks! Earlier today we brought you the breakdown for the actors nominated for the 2013 Academy Awards, and now we’ve returned to do the same thing for the actresses! There are so many incredibly talented ladies up for the award this year, it’s hard to know who to place your bets on for your inevitable Oscar Betting Pool. So we’ve tried to make it a little easier for you and “handicapped” each of the actresses to help you make your picks!

Best Actresses

Jessica Chastain: Maya in Zero Dark Thirty

Why She Has A Good Shot: Chastain provided a strong emotional anchor amid the violence, terrorism and controversy in a film that chronicles the search for Osama Bin Laden.

What Might Get In Her Way: Geez, we heard that the Academy tends to respect dramas over comedies, but this sounds a little intense.

Jennifer Lawrence: Tiffany Maxwell in Silver Linings Playbook

Why She Has A Good Shot: Sure it’s a great movie and an awesome performance, but in our minds this is a nomination for blowing box offices sky-high with Hunger Games.

What Might Get In Her Way: President Snow.

Naomi Watts: Maria Belon in The Impossible

Why She Has A Good Shot: Critics praised Naomi’s performance as Maria Belon, a real woman whose family vacation was cut short by 2004’s Indian Ocean tsunami. It stresses us out without even seeing it!

Quvenzhane Wallis: Hushpuppy in Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Why She Has A Good Shot: Not only did she give an incredible performance, but if they deny this absurdly talented 9-year-old an Oscar — which would make her the youngest Best Actress winner of all time — they’re officially meanies.

What Might Hold Her Back: Equal guilt in not giving it to Emmanuelle Riva, the oldest Oscar nominee of all time.

Emmanuelle Riva: Anne in Amour

Why She Has A Good Shot: OK, we’re going to level with you: We’d never seen nor heard of this one until this week. But hey, five nominations ain’t too shabby, right?

What Might Hold Her Back: See Quvenzhane Wallis above.

Best Supporting Actresses

Jacki Weaver: Dolores Solitano in Silver Linings Playbook

Why She Has A Good Shot: Acting alongside a legend like Robert De Niro has got to be pretty daunting, but the outstanding Aussie actress gave just as good as she got, offering up a performance arguably better than his!

What Might Hold Her Back: President Snow, who is still out for co-star Jennifer Lawrence.

Anne Hathaway: Fantine in Les Miserables

Why She Has A Good Shot: We heard something about a crazy diet and haircut…?

What Might Hold Her Back: She looks a little too good with that short haircut. Some might say her pixie prowess is enough of a reward.

Sally Field: Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln

What Might Get In Her Way: Academy members who voted for Stephen Douglas. *history joke!*

Helen Hunt: Cheryl Cohen Greene in The Sessions

Why She Has A Good Shot: This sleeper movie has been tearing it up at festivals since the fall. Hunt plays a sex surrogate who helps a man in an iron lung lose his virginity at the age of 38. Major props for taking on a role that definitely isn’t a stock character!

What Might Get In Her Way: People who are mislead by the title and think it’s a film about a psychologist who sleeps with her patients, which is what happened to us before we knew better.

Amy Adams: Peggy Dodd in The Master

Why She Has A Good Shot: Considering the fact that one of the film’s central characters, Lancaster Dodd, is allegedly based on Scientology founder/controversy lightening-rod L. Ron Hubbard, it’s pretty gutsy that Adams went near the movie at all.